The story of Jethro is primarily given to us to make this important point: All men ought to give the true God glory for his wonderful works. Even during this time of salvation history where God is dealing primarily with Israel, God’s dealings with them is intended to bring all the nations to confess that Yahweh is the true God. Every man, woman, and child ought to give God the glory due his name.

In Mary’s song, the first word in the original is magnifies. This word sets the tone for the whole Psalm. As a whole, Mary’s song teaches us the joy of Christ’s coming. Mary calls all men to join with her joy that Christ has come. So whether you are a mature saint who has believed in Christ for a long time, or a person who has never yet believed in Christ alone for salvation, what God wants from you is to rejoice in Christ this Christmas.

What do you do when you realize that God has saved you? You sing. Brothers, God’s people sing. In Gen 4, we learn that Jubal made musical instruments. Job mentions singing a handful of times. But this is the first time that singing appears canonically in the Scriptures. How appropriate that, after such a monumental event displaying God’s covenant love, that it is here that we see his people joining in song. The central point from this text for us is simply this: Sing to the LORD. But when I say that this passage urges us to sing to the LORD, I am getting after something more fundamental than mere singing. Indeed, I want us to have the heart to sing to God. My concern is that there is in each of our hearts joyful affections in Christ our Savior.

When Jesus began to teach his disciples that he had come to suffer and give his life, Peter rebuked Jesus. But Jesus reminded Peter that he was thinking from a purely human perspective, not God’s perspective. Instead of avoiding death at all costs, Jesus called his followers together and reminded them that following him means giving up our life.

Following Jesus Christ demands that his disciples forfeit their lives to Him (v. 34). Four reasons:

Protecting your physical life brings no eternal gain (v. 35).

Protecting your earthly means is a waste of time and energy (v. 36).

Your eternal soul is priceless (v. 37).

Refusal to follow Jesus completely is a refusal to follow at all (v. 38).

Do not mistake the brevity of v. 58 to mean that the practical consequences of the resurrection are not weighty. On the contrary, the resurrection has world-changing results in this life, leaving aside all that it means for us in eternity. Here’s the main point: You must live consistently with the reality of the resurrection. If Christ is alive, and if Christ will really raise you, then you should live differently. Paul gives us two great responses to the doctrine of the resurrection:

In the last verse of this paragraph, Paul is so full of awe at the goodness of God to sinners, breaks out in praise. It is a sublime cap to this glorious chapter on the resurrection, followed only by the practical implications of our resurrection in v. 58. But why the thanks to God? Paul’s reasons are nicely provided in the verses that precede. God’s Word is calling you this morning to returnthanks to God for your salvation. So let’s see the reasons we should be thankful:

We must be changed. Unless something happens to you between now and then, you will be unable to enter the Eternal State. The good news is that God will change believers for eternity. The point is,All who have believed in Jesus Christ will be changed for eternal life. Even though all saints will be changed for eternity, Paul’s focus is on the church in this passage, for the address is tobrothers. The Spirit gives three ways how we who through faith in Christ make up his body will be changed for eternity.